Ever since I can remember, I have always been amazed watching aircraft fly. Since I’ve been a controller I obviously get to see this a lot. Pilots, on occasion, offer to take me up and show me the other side of my job from the pilot’s perspective. However, I don’t think I would care to experience the palm sweaty aspect of landing and departing while the ceiling and visibility are at minimums.

Watching (or should I say, not watching) the aircraft land yesterday in the fog, was a reminder to me that the technology we have these days is amazing. The pilots that have the nerve and trust in that technology is even more awesome. I can’t remember of a situation in my life that I had to put my life in my own hands, completely relying on instruments to keep me alive. I’m sure for pilots that have been doing it for a while are cool as a cucumber in those conditions…but initially, man-oh-man, just knowing that you can’t see out of the windows and you are getting closer and closer to the earth…woowee, hope those gauges are right!

Anyways, I’ve never really gotten the itch to get a pilots’ license. I’m an all or nothing kind of guy; meaning I’m not one for crawling before I walk. Of course, I know someone can’t just jump in an F-18 and twirl their brains out, but If I was going to do it, that’s the way I’d want it. Air traffic control has a steep learning curve itself, but in that case, I had the itch.

So what I’m trying to say is: Nice Job Captains!